The Correct Way To Recycle Expired Electronics

A device which is powered by batteries and has a switch to operate in (either turn on & off or other functions) is an electronic appliance and is bound to expire.

Every electronic device has a lifecycle to operate ending with an end-of-life. These devices reach their unoperational (or not safe to use) period after this stage. Like every other thing in our homes, electronics also need to be recycled or processed once they turn useless.

Some of the most common electronic devices that make up hazardous e-waste include cell phones, laptops, computers, tablets, discs and you get the idea, right?

These devices even though not easy to be recycled are the most crucial to be indeed. The e-waste holds tremendous potential to damage Earth, even more than the plastic.

The extensive procedures and tiresome collection of the electronic waste make processing ;them one of the hardest tasks. However, the government has successfully laid out a defined procedure to harvest, collect, transfer and process the e-waste.

There are professional e-waste handler companies who take up these crucial tasks and come forward as producers responsibility organisation. If you want to dispose, recycle or process any kind of electronics, PRO are the companies you talk to.

But, how do you go about recycling old electronics?

For most of our research we came across common kinds of concerns from people who adhered from recycling their electronics. Primary concern being data security.

Privacy and data theft are often the reasons why people hang on to their electronics even after their end-of-life. An average person doesn’t have a clue to ensure if a laptop’s hard drive is unreadable or that personal data can be completely removed/backed up from a cell phone.

Removing data from cells and hard disks can be done in just a couple steps, we’ve compiled information and resources to help you walk through the process.

Keep reading so you can easily recycle those old electronics and feel confident that your personal information won’t be compromised.

Data Backup

You need to make sure that your data is permanently deleted, to ensure that no one can get a hold on to it. But, before erasing anything, be sure to back it up. This may seem obvious or you may think there’s no important data that needs to be saved, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.

There are enough options to backup your data like external hard drives, flash drives and online cloud options.

Use Data Erasing Software

Once your data is secured elsewhere, you’ll need to erase it all from your device. Laptops and desktop computers will require special software as simply deleting your files or reformatting your hard drive don’t suffice. There are programs that can retrieve deleted data if your hard drive has not been sanitized properly.

To erase cell phone data, the EPA suggests deleting all information and following the manufacturer’s instructions for doing a factory hard reset.

Try Physical Destruction

Overwriting the data will most likely keep anyone from getting at your personal information. Lifehacker points out, though, that a person with proper training, time and money can potentially retrieve your data. This scenario is very unlikely, but if you’re concerned — and you don’t plan to donate the device for reuse — consider damaging the device or its hard drive yourself.

Be careful if you plan to hit a hard drive with a hammer or drill through it. Once you’ve done this, you can take the drive to your local e-waste recycling center.

Recycle/Reuse/Disposal

After the data is erased from your device or physically damaged it so it’s unusable, search for an electronic waste recycler in your area. You can learn more about recycling computers, cellphones and other electronics here at RPlanet.

Recycling 1 million laptops saves enough energy to power 3,500 Indian Homes for a year. Yet the figures determining the recycling rate are as low as 8% for cell phones and 38% for laptops.

To read more or recycle the e-waste in bulk you can contact RPlanet as India’s first ever Producer Responsibility Organisation with stand alone state of the art recycling plants.